Earlier this week, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced a modification of the mask mandate in the District of Columbia, which would relax indoor mask requirements in various locations and business types. Several businesses, including academic institutions, were not included in this recent modification.

At this time, we will continue to maintain our current masking requirements, as they have been an essential component of our comprehensive health and safety measures. The requirement to wear masks will continue in indoor settings on campus, including offices and classrooms, and group settings outdoors for the duration of the Fall semester. Along with our vaccine requirement and routine testing, the use of masks has directly contributed to low COVID-19 cases throughout the semester and a marked decline in positivity over the past month. Learn more here: https://howard.edu/pandemic-response/testing-dashboard.

As we prepare for the holiday season and anticipate increased travel and gatherings with non-vaccinated family and friends, overall case numbers nationally and in the D.C. area may likely increase. We want to ensure that Howard University community members remain as safe as possible and adhering to the current mask policy helps towards that goal.